What is family??? Is it a brother?? A sister?? A cousin??
I think family is not only that but more. We all have brothers, sisters, step-daughters, step-mothers, sisters-in-law, sons-in law, friends...
In this world, there are many people that I know and like, acquaintances, co-workers and similar. But, family, to me is more.
I miss my original family, you know the one that was only about us, the original 7? The one I was born with? My Mom, Dad, brothers and sisters. I know Mom and Dad are gone...but my brothers and sisters are still here. I talk to my sisters on a consistent basis, not my brothers.
One of my brothers made it well known to me, he DOESN'T HAVE TO CALL. I actually got into a fight with him last year. There were a few major points to that fight. One was he never calls me. He replied, "I called you on your birthday". I had to point out that the last time he called me was on my 40th birthday which was a year and a half prior. I also asked him to do something for my sister that I couldn't do because I did not live closer. BIG FIGHT. Either way, it was difficult because we argued big time! I later wrote him a letter trying to explain my position. (**Please note** This is not a good idea when you are writing to an attorney) I wrote a letter, which unfortunately for me, he analyzed for 2 weeks before he called unexpectedly one Saturday afternoon. Needless to say as an attorney, he went off the deep end. To summarize: we have different opinions on what family means. Here is an example of a question I posed, "For instance, if some day after you and Jane have passed on, wouldn't you want your children to be there for each other???" He answered, "That's not the same thing." I stopped the battle. He's gone...finally I see...he's a MacCormack... (My mind soars...where is Jan? My head is screaming, "I knew the family would fall apart!")
My other brother only calls because I bitched him out last year after the hurricanes, told him, he was a sorry ass for not giving a shit about me and my family. After that he called for every hurricane, whether it was close to Florida or not. This year he's slacking. Oh well. But he is coming to visit. My sister thinks he's going to stay with her, but I have a big-screen and cable TV that says differently!! I have to add, I was amazed and dumbfounded that Don did not call at anytime around the hurricanes. I mean even my mother-in-law from England emailed!! What the F***??
Still don't have the 'old-time family' feeling. BUT I DO HAVE my husband, whom I love immensely, my children (yes, children) whom I love unconditionally, my grand children who think I know everything (God bless them & they're right!), my friends whom I love exceptionally and my sisters whom I love eternally.
My sisters treat me like I was gold!! God bless them!!
What do you think about family??
5 comments:
family for me is most people whom i've known and i have several branches in my famly...
the main branch, of course, is my actual family that i grew up with and this of course includes all the cousins and aunts and uncles that never lived in house with us.
then ther's the childhood friends branch, you know the one's you grew up with, but haven't seen in years but think about and hope to see soon even is you live across the state.
then there's the in-laws branch of actual family members on jay's side of the family.
and also a branch for other friends... those whom i currently spend time with and talk to...
it's sad that our (extended) family is unable to get together on a regular basis such as a family reunion or whatnot, but as we've seen happen.. all our families have grown apart, and in most cases not intentionally, but perhaps on purpose with a couple of people. i miss all the get togethers, and good times we had back when nanny and grampy we still around. not to say that we can't still do that, but between divorces, and arguments, and just plain stubborness which have all developed at various points of my life, it has become more difficult for such an event to take place without some sort of blowout for whatever reason. but regardless, everyone is still my family, and i'll always love them, even if they're estranged from other members of the family.
on another note, you didn't mention your wonderful nieces and nephews up north... are we chopped liver? just kidding.
hopefully we can come down south and visit you all sometime!
btw.. i find it hard to imagine you as a grandmother. it's just that i don't think i'll ever think of you as "old", not that you are, but you were always the fun one :) wait your a great-aunt too! oh geez... you better not go pinching evan or james' cheeks when you finally get to meet. lol
your little profile description says you drink frozen margaritas... i don't think nanny EVER had such a beverag in her hand... just can't picture it...
Family are those you don't choose, whom you hold dear despite the troubles and problems. I believe our creator picked our places for us. That's why you should never hold some one's race or origin against them. No one chose who they are born as.
Family can also be any group of more than one who spend common day to day living together and are bonded over time, knowing each other well. Genetic ties are not necessary to be family.
I think my extended birth-sibling-group "family" used to get together so much more often before 2000 because mother would periodically call every one of us and insist we come rogether for cook-outs, birthdays, ect, and to do it for her, which we were all willing to do. Now no one plans, no one has the pull to order us all into submission to committing to travel on a specified date to a specified place for a specific purpose. Just to be together... Except for the recent funerals we've managed to go to, which compounds the unpleasant memories we all have of the 2 worst funerals we were all really last together for.
Don't feel bad, at least you got one bro calling sometimes. I'm still waiting. I did get a nasty postcard from PR- so I'm jealous!
Snags, I disagree. The creator did not pick our places... But He did give us free will, which has been clearly documented through out history (the bible, for example) And about the pull to get us together?? There was a wedding last year in Boston, at an awesome place (with free cocktails, great food...) that got us together!! If nothing else I got to see Hermoine before she passed...
I too got a drunken post card from PR. Also, there were 3 funerals for me...Don't forget Courtney... God knows I can't
By the way, fauzan, thanks...
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